Donate
Member Log in
Donate
Member Log in
Donate

frequently asked questions for potential victims & survivors

Not sure if you’re being exploited, or wondering if the Helpline can help?

This page answers common questions from people who’ve been in your situation. The Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline is free, confidential, and available 365 days a year to give advice, and connect you with the right support.

Modern slavery is a very serious crime, which can take many forms. You may have experienced modern slavery if someone forced or controlled you to complete activities or work that benefited them. This could have ranged from being forced to work in a private house, in a business, a brothel or even online. Some people are forced to complete illegal activities like cultivating, packaging or selling drugs or engaging in fraud or scams. Some traffickers will also force victims to engage in a variety of forms of sex work. There are many types of modern slavery, including sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, domestic servitude, forced labour, as well as less common forms such as organ harvesting, financial exploitation, forced surrogacy and more.

Human trafficking is where a person is transported into a situation of modern slavery through deception or coercion. The terms ‘modern slavery’ and ‘human trafficking’ are often used interchangeably.

If you have been forced to work, provide services or commit a crime against your will, you may have experienced modern slavery.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

The Helpline is an independent service operated by the charity Unseen UK. While the Helpline is not part of the police or Government, we do work closely with law enforcement and government agencies to aid investigation into modern slavery or to help people who have experienced modern slavery to access ongoing support from the government.

Helpline staff can discuss any available options that may be appropriate to your situation. This could involve helping you make a plan to safely leave on your own, give you information about your rights, or helping you access support from the police. If you are in immediate danger, please call emergency services on 999.

No, the Helpline is non-investigative and is therefore unable to look into your situation. However, the Helpline can refer information on to other organisations and law enforcement agencies who can investigate.

Yes, you can remain anonymous when speaking to Helpline staff. The Helpline can provide information and advice without knowing your name. If you would like the Helpline to refer your situation to another organisation or agency for investigation or ongoing support, you may need to share your name and other details.

No, the Helpline cannot provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, it is important to seek this from a trained specialist.

If you have been entered into the National Referral Mechanism and are receiving support, speak to your caseworker who may be able to help you access free legal advice.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

The Helpline is a UK-wide service and can therefore only provide advice and information relating to the UK. Many countries operate similar services that may be able to offer more appropriate support. In some cases, the Helpline can refer information to UK law enforcement who may be able to pass it on to police colleagues abroad, however this is not always possible.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

No, you cannot contact the Helpline by text message or WhatsApp. You can contact the Helpline by phone on 08000 121 700 or submit a webform.

If you have experienced modern slavery and are currently in the UK, you may be able to access government support through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).

If you do not want to access government support through the NRM, or you have received a negative NRM decision, you may be able to access support through other local or national services.

The Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline can discuss available support options and help you decide what is most appropriate for you.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

The National Referral Mechanism is the UK Government’s framework for identifying and providing support to potential victims of modern slavery. If you have experienced modern slavery but are no longer in the situation, you can be entered into the National Referral Mechanism to receive support from through the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC). If you are an adult, you must give your consent to be entered into the National Referral Mechanism.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

Once you have received a positive Reasonable Grounds (RG) decision through the National Referral Mechanism you can access support under the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC). This will be tailored to what you need and could be outreach support or accommodation and support.

If you are destitute and are not entitled to other accommodation, or it is unsafe for you to stay where you are, you can access temporary safehouse accommodation. The First Responder submitting your application should be able to help you access safe accommodation immediately before you receive a Reasonable Grounds (RG) decision.

Once you have received a positive Reasonable Grounds (RG) decision, you will have a caseworker who will support you to access the help you need. This could be financial support, information, medical treatment, mental health support, legal support, education, practical support etc.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

You may be eligible for support through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) if:

  • You have experienced modern slavery anywhere in the world
  • You are no longer in the situation
  • You are currently in the UK regardless of your immigration status

A positive NRM decision does not automatically give you right to remain in the UK. If you receive a positive Reasonable Grounds (RG) decision, you may be entitled to a recovery and reflection period of 30 days, during which you are protected from removal from the UK.

If you have insecure immigration status in the UK, it is important to get legal advice from a specialist immigration advisor to understand your options. If you have been entered into the NRM and are receiving support, speak to your caseworker who may be able to help you access free immigration advice.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

You must be out of the exploitative situation first before you can be entered into the National Referral Mechanism to access support. Certain professionals, known as ‘First Responders’, can submit an application to enter you into the National Referral Mechanism.

You can tell the police, a social worker or Home Office staff that you are a victim of modern slavery and ask them to act as a First Responder to enter you into the National Referral Mechanism. There are also some charities that can act as First Responders; however, this depends on your situation and your location. You can also contact the organisation that operates the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) in your area to self-refer (details below). The Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline can help you identify which organisation would be the most suitable First Responder for you. Where appropriate, the Helpline can refer your information to a First Responder organisation requesting that they contact you and enter you into the National Referral Mechanism.

To enter you into the National Referral Mechanism, the First Responder should contact you and conduct an interview with you in person or on the phone. You will be asked to share details of the exploitation that you experienced, which will then be included in the referral form. It can be difficult to talk about what you have been through, but it is important to share this information to demonstrate that you are eligible for support. You may also be asked to provide any evidence you have to support your application.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

The Home Office is responsible for National Referral Mechanism decision making. There are two departments known as ‘competent authorities’ that can decide if you will be recognised as a victim of modern slavery.

The Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) is responsible for cases relating to adults who are Foreign National Offenders (FNOs), those detained in Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs), and those in the Third Country Unit (TCU).

The Single Competent Authority (SCA) is the competent authority responsible for cases relating to all other adults and all child cases.

There are two stages of decision making. The competent authorities aim to make a Reasonable Grounds (RG) decision within five days, but it can take longer. If you receive a positive RG decision this means the Government have reasonable grounds to consider that you are a victim of modern slavery and you can therefore begin accessing support. The second stage is the Conclusive Grounds (CG) decision, which will take a minimum of 30 days, but may take considerably longer. If you receive a positive CG decision, this means you are officially recognised by the Government as a victim of modern slavery.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

To check if you have previously been entered into the National Referral Mechanism or to check the status of your application you can contact the Single Competent Authority by email:

If you receive a negative Reasonable or Conclusive Grounds decision, you can submit a reconsideration request. You can do this yourself or a professional acting on your behalf can. This could be the First Responder that submitted your NRM application, your caseworker if you are already receiving NRM support, a support worker or a solicitor. It is recommended to get legal advice before submitting a reconsideration request if possible.

A reconsideration request can be submitted if additional evidence becomes available that could impact the decision-making process. You could also submit a reconsideration request if the negative decision made is not in line with the Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance published by the Home Office.

The Single Competent Authority (SCA) or Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) will review the request to determine if there are sufficient grounds to reconsider the decision. During this process, the competent authority may contact you or the professional acting on your behalf to request further information to make the decision.

Alternatively, you can try to access other support options outside of the NRM. The Helpline can discuss available support options with you.

Here are some resources you may find useful:

Modern slavery doesn’t happen because people are vulnerable but because somebody decides to exploit those vulnerabilities. It is always the responsibility of the exploiter when trafficking happens, however, it can help to be aware of risks and consider steps you can take to mitigate them.
 
Before starting a new job or entering a new situation that you have concerns about, it is important to know what the signs of exploitation are so you can look out for them. It is essential to know what your employment rights are as a worker in the UK or where you can find this information.
 
Research the company/recruiter who has offered you a job to ensure they are legitimate, and be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. If you are moving to the UK for work, ensure that you are eligible for the correct visa type for that type of work, avoid paying high visa fees. Visa costs can be found on the government website. Before travelling, check whether accommodation is being provided. If it is, how much does it cost, is it optional and how do you need to pay for it.
 
When starting work, an employer may ask for a copy of your passport/ID documents but they should never take possession of your physical ID documents even if they claim it is to keep them safe. Read through your contract and make sure you understand the terms. You can check employment rights and the National Minimum Wage on the government website.
 
It is also important to ensure your physical safety through making a plan to leave the situation if it is not what you expected, particularly if you are travelling to a country or area that is unfamiliar to you. Keep a list if important phone numbers somewhere safe as well as saved to your phone. If travelling overseas you may wish to install an e-sim so you have internet services upon arrival in that country. You can make a safety plan with someone you trust. If you think your situation is going to escalate, advise your trusted person what to do if they lose contact with you. If you are outside of your home country, your embassy or consulate may be able to provide you with support or assistance.
 
Here are some resources you may find useful:
 
The following resources are available in Albanian, Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Hindi, Kurdish, Pashto, Romanian, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese:
Donate
Justine Currell

As I came to understand more about the issue, including through a visit to an Unseen safehouse, I knew I needed to do more to stop this abuse and exploitation.

For the last five years of my Civil Service career, I was the Modern Slavery Senior Policy Advisor in the Home Office and led on development of the Modern Slavery Act, including the transparency in supply chains provision and business guidance.

I joined Unseen to lead the development of the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline, and Unseen’s work with businesses. I am regularly called upon to present at national and international conferences and use my experience of working with Ministers to influence other governments internationally to take action to address modern slavery and, in particular, business supply chain issues.

In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit, music, reading and travelling.

Andrew Wallis

What ultimately compelled me to act was a report on how people from Eastern Europe were being trafficked through Bristol airport to the USA. Kate Garbers, who went on to be an Unseen Director, and I wrote to all the city councillors, MPs and the Police Chief Constable challenging them on the issue. The challenge came back to us: this city needs safe housing for trafficked women. And so Unseen began.

But we never wanted Unseen to be just about safe housing. We wanted to end slavery once and for all, and that remains our driving focus.

I chaired the working group for the Centre for Social Justice’s landmark report “It Happens Here: Equipping the United Kingdom to Fight Modern Slavery”. This is now acknowledged as the catalyst behind the UK’s Modern Slavery Act of 2015. It was a great honour to be awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours that year. On the other hand, I’ve also been described as “the loveliest disrupter you could ever hope to meet”.

This job has taken me from building flat-pack furniture for safehouses, to working with businesses to address slavery in supply chains, to delivering training, raising awareness and advising governments around the world.

When not at work, I enjoy travelling, spending time with my dog Harley, cooking, supporting Liverpool and Yorkshire CC, music (I’m a former DJ) and endurance events such as the Three Peaks Challenge and Tribe Freedom Runs – which I vow never to do again. Until the next time.